


apart (from her nurture)

by forthehonorr



Series: separated [1]
Category: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: A self indulgent-ass fic, Crossover, no ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-01-30 09:23:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21425908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forthehonorr/pseuds/forthehonorr
Summary: The boy had straw-colored hair just like hers, let loose about his shoulders, just like hers was right now.The boy had the same pale blue eyes as her and the apparent Queen’s.The boy had the king’s nose.The boy looked almost exactly like her, right down to the confused stare.Adora felt herself sway and fall to the ground, her vision darkening as she fell unconscious for the second time that day.(Set after S4.)(Characters to be added as they appear.)
Series: separated [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775320
Comments: 88
Kudos: 191





	1. one - beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I have wanted to write this fic for AGES and I finally hunkered down to do it after season 4.  
I am def procrastinating on my other fic writing this...

“Adora?” Bow asked, jolting Adora awake from her fitful sleep, much to her chagrin.

“What is it, Bow?” She gripped the arms of her, no Mara’s, captain’s chair. “Are we being attacked?!” She straightened up and looked around with newfound alert-ness.

“Adora…” Bow put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she relaxed. “We’re not being attacked, the computer says we’re nearing a planet.”

“Then swerve around it and let’s keep going, we have to find Horde Prime.” Adora leaned back in the chair and rubbed her eyes in a feeble attempt to stay awake.

“About that…” Bow started.

“What? Did you lose the signal?” Adora pulled one of the screens over and examined it, they still had a weak signal from Horde Prime’s ship.

“No, we still have it, but we’re running out of supplies on the ship and I was thinking…” Bow continued. Adora fixed him with a glare. 

“We can’t lose the signal, Bow.” She focused her eyes ahead again.

“I know that, but Adora, look at me.” Bow moved in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. “You’ve barely slept, you haven’t eaten and I know you haven’t had any water for days, I’m just saying we make a quick stop on this planet to get supplies then leave.”

Adora hesitated, looking at the weak signal sign behind Bow.

“I don’t know, Bow…” She murmured.

She couldn’t lose Glimmer, she was aboard that horrible Horde Prime ship and first ones only knew what was happening to her.

Bow pulled Adora in for a hug as if he could sense her thoughts. “I don’t wanna lose her either, but...We’re not much use to her if we’re dead.”

Adora decided not to say what she first thought, which was she wasn’t much use right now period because She-Ra was gone and it was all her fault.

“Okay…” She conceded quietly. “But I’m staying aboard to monitor the signal, you take King Micah and Entrapta to forage.”

Bow squeezed her shoulder in a gesture of meager comfort before walking back to the console.

They had been aboard Mara’s ship chasing after Horde Prime for a long time, it was probably bad that Adora couldn’t remember how long, or when the last time she got up was for that matter. Adora pushed her hair out of her eyes, she was quickly becoming frustrated with it and she couldn’t find another hair tie on the ship anywhere.

“Did the first ones not have them anyway?” She muttered, mostly to herself, but it got Bow’s attention nonetheless.

“Did you say something, Adora?” He asked, turning toward her.

“No, nothing.” She sighed and rested her chin on her hand, then quickly stopped. She couldn’t relax, not when Glimmer was out there. “My hair is just in my eyes is all.”

“I think it looks nice down?” Bow was trying to take her mind off of Glimmer, or maybe take his own mind off of her.

“Thanks…” She pushed her hair off of her forehead with one hand in a feeble attempt to slick it back. 

“Do you want help?” Bow asked.

“How?” Adora asked.

Bow walked back over to her and motioned for her to turn, she turned reprehensively so her back was facing him.

Bow ran his hands through her hair and she leaned back into his touch absently, his deft fingers working through her hair were comforting and she found herself nodding off.

“Done.” Bow’s voice woke her up. Adora felt the back of her head to find a simple bun.

“How’d you do that?” She looked up at him, he winked.

“Magic.” He replied.

“Heh…” She said, her hand fell down on the armrest next to her.

Bow walked back to the console without another word.

Adora didn’t notice when they landed, she was trying too hard not to fall asleep again, even though she could barely keep her eyes open. 

“Adora, I’m leaving to go get supplies.” She heard Bow say and she nodded up at him.

Maybe a little sleep would do her well, and the computer would beep if anything was wrong…

Adora’s eyes snapped open when she heard the beeping, the very beeping she was dreading.

Did they lose the signal? 

Adora grabbed the screen with both hands and blinked the sleep out of her eyes to read it.

“Intruder?” She asked nobody.

“Yes, there is an intruder approaching the ship.” ‘Nobody’ answered in the form of the ship’s Light Hope system.

“AAGH!” Adora jolted. At least now she was awake. “Uh, can I see them?”

Maybe it was just Bow and the others.

The screen lit up, showing a video of a large man in armor talking to three other men in similar armor, she leaned forward and examined their armor, it didn’t look like it was Horde issued, but she didn’t know what kind of armor Horde Prime’s soldiers wore.

“Is there audio?” She asked.

“The audio systems were damaged in the crash.” The system responded

“Of course they were…” Adora rubbed her forehead, her bangs were starting to fall back in her face, much to her irritation.

“Is there any information about the inhabitants of this planet?” She asked.

“All the information about ‘Eternia’ has been corrupted.” It answered.

“Wait, did you say Eternia?” Adora looked back up at the screen at the four men still talking in front of the door.

They didn’t exactly look like an advanced race, but she supposed that they would look like her, considering she was one of them. If they even were first ones.

“Wait, zoom in on the big guy.” She leaned in closer, squinting at the screen.

He definitely had a first one’s data crystal in his hand, and he was pressing it against the door, and the door was opening. Wait, the door was opening! 

Adora looked around the cabin in search of a weapon, they were gonna reach the main area soon and Adora couldn’t see any weapons. Fisticuffs it is then.

She swung out of her chair and leaned on the wall next to the door, ready to ambush them as they came in, their footsteps drawing ever closer.

The first man came in and Adora swiftly roundhouse kicked him across the chest, sending him stumbling, she took the advantage and quickly landed an ax kick over the top of his head, knocking him out cold.

The other three men rushed in behind her and she turned, raising her fists.

Two of them came at her at once, brandishing short mace-like weapons, the leader of them was staying back, examining her closely.

She ducked under a swing from one of them, only to be caught in the gut with the weapon by the other one.    
She fought past the pain and kicked the one who hit her’s legs out from under him, then taking advantage of the distraction landed one swift uppercut and a jab to the leftover attacker.

She turned quickly, searching for the leader, only to see he was nowhere to be found.

Adora narrowed her eyes and tensed up her shoulders, turning slowly around the room, he had to be here somewhere.

Adora found him when she felt a booted-foot kick her swiftly in the back, causing her to fall hard on the ground. She rolled onto her back so she was facing him, moving to kick him and stand up.

“Ahahah,” He warned, leveling the point of a halberd at her face. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Adora looked between him and the point, weighing her options. She decided quickly and batted the point upward with a swift kick, rolling over and pushing herself up in one swift motion. 

The man’s eyes widened almost imperceptively and Adora found herself smiling as she raised her fists. 

The man quickly recovered and advanced toward her. Fortunately, Adora had plenty of practice against opponents bigger than her thanks to Rogelio. She ducked under his first attack and jabbed at his side, flinching back as her hand hit hard metal.

The man hooked one of his arms under hers, locking her in, she tried to break free but his grip was like iron. The man sprayed her in the face with some sort of blue vapor and she suddenly felt all of her limbs going weak, her eyes becoming heavy. The last thing she saw before falling unconscious was the man looming over her examining her more closely.

  
  


_

Adora heard snippets of conversation as she was dragged somewhere.

“King Randor” One would say.

“Took out three of the best guards…” Another voice would respond,

“Looks just like…” The man who knocked her out’s voice stood out.

Adora startled awake and sat up quickly, banging her head on something.

“Ow…” She rubbed her forehead, already feeling the bump forming there. 

She looked around the room she found herself in, it was a prison cell. Clearly, this was not a Brightmoon prison cell, it was a real prison cell.

She ran up to the bars and looked around, seeing a guard.

“Hey!” She shouted at him, he stood up straighter but didn’t spare her a glance. “Where am I?” She demanded.

He still didn’t look at her.

Bow didn’t know where she was and they needed to find Glimmer, she had to get out of here.

“You can’t just keep me here like this!” She tried to rattle the bars but they wouldn’t budge. “I demand to see your leader!”

Eventually, she gave up trying to get the guard’s attention, it was clear he had no intentions of talking to her and began to survey her surroundings.    
It was a run-of-the-mill cell, and the thing she had banged her head on earlier was the top-bunk, she had been laying on the bottom bunk when she woke up. The walls were made of a tan stone that was cool to the touch and here was one small window with bars on it, but it wasn’t big enough to squeeze through, even without the bars.

Adora grabbed the window ledge and lifted herself up to look out of it, there wasn’t much to be seen, only what looked like the courtyard and some booted feet walking around.   
She let herself drop to the floor and put her head in her hands.

How was she ever gonna get back?   
“Prisoner.” A voice made Adora lift her head. It was the man who had knocked her out and he was standing with the door ajar. “King Randor demands your presence.” He said, holding up a pair of handcuffs.

“Who’s King Randor?” She asked.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” He answered.

The man had a grip like iron on Adora’s shoulder as he walked her down the halls of what she assumed was a castle.    
The castle was made of the same tan-colored stone as the prison, with red and gold accents and paintings lining the walls, the ceilings were higher than the ones at Brightmoon.    
Adora pushed that thought out of her mind before she could go down the trail of thinking about Brightmoon and Glimmer and how she was useless. Well, it didn’t work but she tried anyway.

The man opened a large brown door that led to what she presumed was the Great Hall of this castle, it was bigger than any great hall she’d ever seen and as she was looking around in wonder, she was pushed to her knees in a bow by the man.

“This can’t possibly be the soldier you described to me, Captian Duncan.” Adora looked up to the source of the voice, she saw a haggard-looking kingly man with blonde hair streaked with white, upon his head he had a crown bejeweled with red gems, he had piercing green eyes that looked cold and broken, when he looked at her, she ducked her head back down.

“It is, my lord.” The man, now identified as Captian Duncan said. “She took out three of my best men with only her fists, I only managed to take her out with Orko’s knock-out mist.”

“Is this true?” The King said. Wait, was he talking to her?….He was definitely talking to her.

“Uh…” She looked up at him and her mouth went dry, she was never good at talking to royalty and it even applied to a King of a planet she didn’t even live on. Captian Duncan poked her with his halberd, urging her to speak. 

“Go on, girl.” He prompted.

“Yes.” She swallowed thickly. “Yes, Your Majesty.” She quickly amended.

“And you say she also arrived in one of the Ancients’ ship?” The king redirected his attention back to the Captian.

“Yes.” The Captian responded.

“What is your name, girl?” The king was talking to her again, oh stars.

“Adora.” She said meeker than she meant to.

“Speak up.” Captian Duncan jabbed her in the back again and she glared up at him.

“I said,” She said louder, growing frustrated. “My name is Adora.” 

Her own words echoed through the great chamber, seemingly she had stunned them into silence.

The king leaned forward in his throne, he looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“Duncan, bring her closer to me.” He demanded.

Adora was pulled up roughly and brought closer to the King who examined her like she was a painting in a museum; with awe.

“Get Marlena at once.” The king’s voice was shaking. “And for the love of the stars, get those handcuffs off of her.”

“Yes, your majesty.” The captain unlocked her cuffs and left her standing alone with the king who was still looking at her like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Adora stepped backward away from him.

“I should be going, I have people who are waiting for me…” She began to say.

A woman walked into the great hall, she was pinning up her brown hair in what looked like the makings of an elegant style. She had a simple crown atop her head and she had pale blue eyes that mirrored Adora’s own.

“Randor, what is going o-” She started but stopped when she saw Adora, her arms dropped to her sides, one of the pins she had in her hand fell from her hand, clattering to the ground in a seemingly cacophonous sound. Tears began welling up in her eyes.

“Marlena,” The king rushed to her side. “She says her name is Adora…”

Marlena broke free of the King’s grasp and walked toward Adora, holding her hand out, Adora shirked back.

“Do I know you?” She looked the woman up and down, but nothing was coming to mind.

“Of course, you were only a baby…” Marlena sobbed, clasping her hand to her heart.

Adora’s mind was racing...If this woman was saying what she thought she was saying, that meant….

“Mom! Dad!” Another male voice entered the room and Adora whirled around to face it, it was a boy. “I can’t find Duncan anywhere and I-” The boy stopped, staring at Adora.

Adora stared right back because it was like looking in a weird pseudo mirror.

The boy had straw-colored hair just like hers, let loose about his shoulders, just like hers was right now.

The boy had the same pale blue eyes as her and the apparent Queen’s.

The boy had the king’s nose.

The boy looked almost exactly like her, right down to the confused stare.

Adora felt herself sway and fall to the ground, her vision darkening as she fell unconscious for the second time that day, and this time it wasn’t from some spray.

  
  
  
  



	2. two - fate?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora wakes up in the castle, no longer in the dungeons.  
She has to escape, but how?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, the reception for this was waaaaay better than i ever thought it would be  
thank u for all your very nice comments, i'll get to replying to them ASAP

Adora’s eyes felt like they were glued shut and all her limbs felt heavy as she awoke from what felt like either the best or worst sleep of her entire life. Her mouth tasted like she had been eating sand, and it was twice as dry. Adora sat up and rubbed her eyes before opening them and looking around, confusion striking her.   
The room she found herself in looked like it hadn’t been stepped in since she was born, dust-covered every square inch of furniture and cobwebs that probably held small spiders that would rival the miniature robot spiders Light Hope had made her fight sometimes lined the crown molding, which even through the cobwebs she could tell was elegant. 

  
The entire room was more elegant than even her room back at Brightmoon despite the grime, even the bed she now realized she was sat upon was ornate with intricate-looking carvings hewn into the wood.  
There were three tall windows set into the sandstone wall that went all the way to the ceiling, all of which were covered in such a thick layer of dust that she couldn’t see through them, but they looked like they would open if she tried…

Adora jumped out of the bed, coughing as she consequently threw up some dust in the process, she rushed to the window, searching for the latch she found nothing.

“Mmm…” She grumbled under her breath, cursing her rotten luck. 

She had to get out of this crazy castle and off this crazy planet where they somehow had a clone of her, who would even want to clone her? Was it to harness the power of She-Ra? Well, bad news about that, buddy.  
Adora looked around the room for something she could throw through the window, her eyes settling on something she hadn’t seen before, a piece of furniture covered in a white sheet. She pulled off the sheet and got ready to hoist whatever it was out the window when she halted.

It was a crib, like an actual crib.  
She had never actually seen one, but Bow once explained to her that it was what babies slept in, it was beautiful, with the same carvings as the bed and, as she looked at it closer, she saw First Ones writing carved into the side of it in what looked like the First One’s equivalent of cursive.

“Adora…” She read out loud her own name, tilting her head in confusion, why would they have a crib with her name on it? 

“That was your crib.” Adora turned toward the source of the voice, it was the Queen, she stood in the doorway, she looked sad in the torchlight. “I’m surprised you could read the inscription, you were taken so young…” The Queen, Marlena Adora remembered, walked forward slowly and ran a hand along the carving.

“I don’t…” Adora took a step back, her back hitting the wall. 

“I’m sorry,” Queen Marlena shirked back and clasped her hands together. “I don’t mean to overwhelm you, Adora.” Tears welled up in her eyes.

“How do you know…” Adora started, but stopped, the words dying in her throat. Clearly, the Queen knew her name because the King had told her, right? 

Queen Marlena squeezed her hands together.

“I should go...But I wanted to ask you to join us tonight for dinner in the great hall, I can come back to get you and we can walk together if that’s....” Queen Marlena became choked up on her words, as she spoke reached out to grab Adora's hands gently in her own, they were warm and strangely comforting as they held Adora's own clammy hands. “If that’s alright, dear.”

Adora pulled her hands away, looking between them and the Queen's face. 

"I don't…" Adora's voice didn't seem to work, this woman had rendered her speechless, everything about her seemed foreign, yet somehow familiar and it made Adora feel…Strange in a weird way she couldn't place. 

"You don't have to answer right now, just…" The Queen reached out again but retracted her hand when Adora flinched. "I want to know you..." 

The Queen examined Adora's face, like she was memorizing it, Adora took the chance to examine her as well; Queen Marlena was beautiful in a simple way, she had eyebrows that reminded Adora of her own, as well as the same blue eyes she and that strange boy had, if her hair was blonde, she would look almost like she was…

Like she was Adora's mother. 

Suddenly, everything made sense, the crib with her name on it, the strange boy who looked like her, the king seeming to know her, even the strange familiarity she felt. 

"Adora, are you alright?" The Queen, her mother, had her hands on Adora's shoulders and was looking down at her, which was weird because Adora could have sworn they were eye level…

Adora had apparently sunk to the floor in the midst of her realization, she tried to speak again, her voice finally returning.

"I'm…" Adora's mind was racing. "I'm fine." she finally managed.

"You probably need rest," The Queen reached up a hand and rested it on Adora’s cheek, Adora jerked back into a standing position.

“I don’t like that,” Adora said, holding her cheek.

“I-” The Queen grasped her hands together, standing up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”

Adora never knew what do to when people were crying, she felt awkward just standing there.

“I’m sorry…” She looked down at the floor in shame. Thankfully her self-imposed pity party was cut off by a guard opening the heavy door.

“Queen Marlena, the King requests your presence at once.” The guard said, bowing deeply.

“I must go…” Marlena said sadly, turning around to face the guard. “But I look forward to seeing you at dinner, Adora.” She offered a small smile over her shoulder as she left, leaving Adora alone with her thoughts.

Adora sat down roughly on the bed, a cloud of dust flying up as she did so.

Adora weighed her options, she could stay and find out what was going on, or she could leave this planet and never come back, get Glimmer from Horde Prime and forget this whole space trip ever happened. 

She absolutely had to get out of here, she had always wanted answers about her past but now that she almost had them, she didn’t want them, stars, she really didn’t want them. She couldn’t get attached, not now, not now that Glimmer was probably depending on her and Bow was probably looking for her right now, and what if…What if Glimmer didn’t have much time left?

Adora stood up again and marched over to the window, reaching for the crib she hesitated.

The Queen seemed to really love that crib, and it was probably too heavy to heft out the window anyway.

She looked around the room, and grabbed a chair instead she spotted by what she assumed was a desk and, wincing, she threw it as hard as she could at the window, sending it flying into the courtyard below. 

Adora sucked in a quick breath, she really hadn’t meant to throw it that hard, she peered out the broken window, it thankfully wasn’t a long way down, she could probably weave the sheets together and get down that way, she set to work quickly, the clock was ticking.

  
  


Adora looked over her handiwork with pride; the sheets made for surprisingly good rope, she could only hope their aesthetic matched their function as she tied one end to the bedpost, throwing the rest out the window.

Here goes nothing…She grabbed the rope and took a deep breath, she began slowly making her way down the wall with a white-knuckled grip on the rope that was definitely more fragile than originally intended. Maybe she should have paid more attention the day they were taught how to make rope, but Catra had been trying to…

Nope, nope, don’t think about Catra right now.

A sickening rip sounded from somewhere above her.

“Oh, come on!” She protested. The rope gave out, sending her careening down toward the ground. 

It wasn’t the farthest she’d ever fallen, but that didn’t make it hurt any less, nothing seemed to be broken, thankfully.

“Ughhh…” A groan sounded from below her and she jumped to attention, raising her fists, looking around she spotted the boy again, the one that looked like her, laying in a heap on the ground. If the Queen was her mother, that made him...

“It’s you.” She blurted out.

“Yeah it’s me, first you take my face,” The boy said as he up, rubbing his head and tussling his hair. “And then you fall on me?”

“You…” Adora looked him up and down in confusion. “You shouldn’t have been standing there.” She argued.

“It’s not like I knew my clone was gonna come out of nowhere and fall on me!” He challenged, standing up and getting in her face. He was taller than she originally estimated, he didn’t tower over her, but he was easily a few good inches taller than she was and he took advantage of it.

“Adam!” A girl, about Adora’s age, jogged over and the boy turned around sharply, his body hiding Adora behind him. “What are you doing out of your room?” The girl asked. 

“Teela!” The boy, now identified as Adam said awkwardly. “I was just…Stretching my legs before dinner.”

“Hey-” Adora hissed.

“Shh, follow my lead, unless you want to get caught,” Adam whispered back with a wink.

Adora was pretty sure she’d already been caught, but she didn’t say that.

“Who are you talking to?” Teela asked she leaned over to one side, trying to get a look behind Adam’s back.

“Orko,” Adam said back quickly. “On my communicator.”

“Whatever, Adam…” Teela rolled her eyes. Adora got the feeling this wasn’t it wasn’t the first time today. “Just get back to your room before my dad catches you…Something is going on, do you have any clue what’s got everybody being weird?”

Adora looked around, she couldn’t go anywhere, she was trapped, accentuated by the fact that Adam had reached back and grabbed her arm in a surprisingly strong grip.

“I don’t know, Teela.” He replied, sounding innocent enough.

“I gotta go, I’ll see you at dinner.” Teela shot Adam a small forced smile and jogged off.

“Ow!” Adora wretched her arm out of Adam’s grip once she was sure Teela was gone. “You didn’t have to grab me, I wasn’t gonna go anywhere.”

“That’s a lie,” Adam replied with a cocky grin that made Adora want to punch him. “You escaped from wherever you were being held, so that means you were going back to your ship.”

Adora’s mouth fell open in shock.

“How did you know I came here on a ship?” She asked incredulously.

“Come on, I’m a sheltered prince but I’m not that sheltered,” Adam said, crossing his arms smugly. “It’s all anyone will talk about, ‘the mysterious Ancients Ship’ that landed in the forest.”

“I really should get back to that ship, I have friends waiting for me and-” She backed up slowly.

"You can't just leave," Adam scoffed. 

"Why can't I?" Adora crossed her arms. 

"Because…" Adam furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Because I'm capturing you, obviously." He said matter-of-factly. 

“You?” Adora looked him up and down and chuckled, he was muscular sure, but it was the kind of muscle that didn’t look like it had ever been used for anything except lifting weights. “Sure you are.”

  
Adam narrowed his eyes at her and got into a fighting stance.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” Adora laughed, crossing her arms. “Your posture is all off.”

“Really?” He asked, looking saddened. 

“Yeah, see it’s supposed to look like this,” Adora said, falling into a perfect stance. If the Horde was good for anything, it was for ingraining the stance into her mind forever.

“Okay…” Adam adjusted his feet. “Like this?”

“Exactly,” Adora replied, an idea suddenly coming into her head. 

“Tha-” Adam started with a grin but was interrupted by a swift punch to the face, courtesy of Adora. He hit the ground with a thud, holding his nose. “What was that for?!”

Adora shook her head and blinked in shock. Usually, that punch knocked people out.

“You were supposed to be knocked out.” She said incredulously.

“Well, I’m not, am I?” Adam stood up, still holding his nose. “I think you broke it…”

“Pff,” Adora scoffed. “I didn’t break it.”

Well, maybe she did break it.

“Let me see.” She said quickly.

Adam tilted his head up so Adora could look at his nose.

“Is it bad?” He asked.

“Stay still.” She said.

“Oh no, it’s bad,” He whined.

“It’s not even broken, you’re being a baby.” Adora crossed her arms.

“How do you know?” Adam whimpered, cupping his nose. 

She didn’t know if the Horde had reached this planet, it was probably best if she didn’t mention that she was part of it.

“I took a course once.” She said quickly, hoping she didn't look like she was lying, Glimmer always said she was a terrible liar, which was true but it still hurt a little bit.

“Adam!” An angry male voice shouted from somewhere nearby. 

“Oh, stars.” Adam cursed, suddenly forgetting his injury. “That’s Man-At-Arms, he found me.”

“Who’s Man-At-Arms?” Adora asked.

“He's the captain of the guard, he was guarding my room he must’ve tracked me down after I snuck out, come on!” Adam grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

“Why are you dragging me along?” She asked, trying to pull her hand out of his grip.

“Like I said, I’m capturing you.” He winked back at her with a cheeky grin. “Duh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing u must know about me...I love cliffhangers so much  
I'm trying to update every week on Thursdays so keep an eye out on Thursdays  
don't know what to comment? try this  
-what did you like?  
-what didn't you like?  
-what do you want to see?  
-did something make you laugh?  
comments are the best way to tell me that you like the story! (or didn't)  
find me on tumblr @forthehonorr


	3. three - questions and sort of answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam takes Adora to the old council room, where fabulous secrets are revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy early thanksgiving, i can't post this on thanksgiving bc i'mma be out of town so here u go now

“Where are you taking me?” Adora demanded, she was sick and tired of being dragged around, especially when Adam would hide around a corner and put his hand over her mouth, the last time he had done it she almost took a page out of Catra’s book and bit his hand.

“To the old council room, nobody ever goes there so I go there to hide out all the time,” Adam replied nonchalantly like capturing someone was the most normal thing in the world.

“What do you plan on doing with me when we get there?” Adora asked. “I could escape at any time, you know,” she added quickly.

“Interrogating you!” Adam replied matter-of-factly. “And you can’t escape, because…” He paused, thinking for a second. “Because you don’t know the layout of the castle.”

He was right, Adora didn’t know anything about this place, she was trapped. She tried to even out her breathing like Bow taught her and closed her eyes as Adam kept walking.

“Okay, we’re here.” Adam let go of her hand and plopped down on what looked like a bag full of feathers. “Sit down, I brought these old bean bag chairs from my room, sorry they’re a little torn up.”

Adora rubbed her wrist where he had been holding her and looked around, the room was vast with a domed ceiling, the walls had faded murals of old-looking men and women on them and on a raised dais on the far wall, there was a U shaped table. Adam had clearly made this his second bedroom, there were various food plates and bags strewn around, as well as four “bean bags” as he put it.

“What is this place anyway?” She looked around in wonder, the room was beautiful despite the Adam-like touches and the wear and tear. 

“What?” Adam looked around as if the room was no big deal. “Well, like I said, it’s the old council room, but my Dad, the king, made a new one when the old elders kicked the bucket before I was born.”

Adora approached the far wall and tilted her head in puzzlement, there was more First Ones writing on the wall, but it was too faded to read. 

“What are you looking at?” Adam asked, suddenly appearing beside her.

“Who’s that?” She pointed to the mural, it was the biggest mural in the room, it was of an old-looking woman with shoulder-length hair, she had the same crown as Queen Marlena had on and was dressed in regal robes.

“That’s Queen Grayskull, she was Queen, like 10,000 years ago, and like my million times Great-Grandma, that’s why the council used to be called Council of Grayskull.” Adam scratched the back of his head as he spoke.

“Wait, did you say Grayskull?” Adora asked, her mind was going a million miles an hour, she had gone through enough realizations today. Did the council create the sword? Did they make Etheria a super-weapon? Why would they even do that? 

“Yeah, it’s called The Eternian Council now though, when I’m the king I’m gonna change it back to Grayskull though, doesn’t that just sound cool?” He looked over and grinned at her but stopped when he caught a glimpse of the look on her face. “Hey, are you okay?” 

“I’m fine!” Adora quickly protested. Was she that easy to read?

“You don’t look fine.” Adam stepped closer to her and reached put his hand on her forehead but she jerked back before he could. “Geez, touchy much?”

Adora glared at him and he backed off.

“Whatever,” He dismissed, but Adora sensed he was still agitated because she was agitated. “Can I interrogate you now?”

“You don’t ask someone to interrogate them.” She scoffed with a chuckle, maybe this would take her mind off of...She had a lot of things to take her mind off of.

Whatever, Adora was trained in interrogation and she got the best marks out of her squad in that class, not that she bragged about it or anything.

“Now,” He began, standing up straighter and crossing his arms. Was he trying to be intimidating? It definitely wasn’t working. “Where did you come from?”

“Off-World.” She replied simply.

“I know that,” He snarked. “I mean like, what planet?”

“Etheria.” Adora rolled her eyes.

“Etheria?” Adam narrowed his eyes. “I don’t believe you, Etheria is a myth.”

“No, it’s not.” She scoffed. 

“Whatever.” He said dismissively. “What’s your name anyway?”

“Adora.” She glared up at him.

“Suspicious!” He leaned over her.

“Why is my name suspicious?” She asked, shaking her head in confusion.

“Because!” Adam paused, thinking, he obviously didn’t think much. “I ask the questions!”

“Why were you created?” He asked quickly.

That was a loaded question and a half, supposedly she had a magical destiny, but without the sword, She-Ra didn’t exist so that’s out of the question now. But she was trying to take her mind off of that...

“Hello?” Adam waved his hand in front of her face. “Why did your masters or whatever create a clone of me?”

“I don’t have any masters, and I’m not a clone of you.” Adora retorted.

Stars, she wished she had taken notes when Bow explained the words for family members because she knew the Queen was her mother, but what was Adam?

“Then explain why you look like me!” He said, raising his voice.

What was it the Horde always said? Your fellow soldiers are your…

“Brothers and sisters in arms!” She said out loud as the epiphany hit her.

“What?” Adam asked incredulously, throwing his hands up in the air. “Are you crazy?”

“I’m not crazy,” She retorted in defense. “Listen to me-”

“That’s exactly what a crazy person would say!” Adam shot back smugly.

“I’m your sister,” Adora interjected quickly. That was like dropping a bomb in the room, Adam went completely silent for the first time since she’d encountered him.

“What?” He asked quietly, his shoulders slumping. 

“I’m your sister,” Adora said quieter, saying it made it feel more real...

“I don’t have a sister.” Adam murmured.

“I didn’t think I had a brother either, but here we are.” Adora scoffed.

“But why wouldn’t…” Adam sat down roughly on one of his bean bags. “Why wouldn’t Mom and Dad just tell me?”

He looked about ready to cry, Adora sat down gingerly on the bean bag next to him and patted his shoulder, he stiffened at the contact and looked up at her with a steely gaze she hadn’t seen before, it looked just like the one she saw in the mirror.

“Come on,” He said, standing up and offering his hand for her to take. “Let’s go find Mom and Dad.”

“The king and queen?” Adora asked, taking his hand and standing up. “Why?”

“Because we’re gonna get some answers.” He replied.

  
  


___

Adam walked really fast, and Adora almost had to jog to keep up with him.

“Where are we going anyway?” She panted.

“To the Great Hall.” He replied tensely.

“Why there?” She asked. 

“Come on, Adora, it’s our first family dinner.” Adam looked back at her with a grin.

That was the last thing she needed.

Unfortunately, Adam was already kicking down the door, quite literally. She ducked out of view quickly as she watched Adam storm in.

“Adam!” She heard the King yell. “What in heaven’s name are you doing?”

“I can ask you the same question, Father,” Adam replied. Adora looked around the corner of the door to get a look at the scene.

The king was standing at the end of the table, his eyes looked red and he was leaning over, glaring at Adam. Adam was standing angrily with his arms crossed, glaring back at the king. The Queen was sitting quietly at the table with her head in her hands, her shoulders were shaking. Adora’s heart dropped to her stomach when she realized why the Queen was crying.

It was because of her. 

“Stop, both of you, please,” Marlena pleaded, she was standing up now, her eyes were red and there were bags under her eyes.

“Marlena, the boy is being unreasonable,” Randor argued.

“You’re being unreasonable!” Adam shouted, clenching his fist. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Adam,” Marlena said, rushing over and running her hand along his face. “Tell you what, dear?”

Adam leaned into her touch for a moment before jerking back, as if he remembered that he was angry, he grabbed her arm gently and lowered it.

“Why didn’t you tell me I had a sister?” Adam sounded like he was crying, but Adora couldn’t tell from where she was standing.

Marlena stepped back, her hand rising to cover her mouth in shock.

“How did you-” She began.

Adora took a deep breath and walked into the torchlight.

“Because I told him.” She said.

“Mother, Father,” Adam started. “This is Adora, she says she’s from Etheria.”

Randor sighed deeply and walked over, taking Marlena’s hand in his and putting his other arm around her shoulders.

“We owe you two an explanation…” He said. “Come, sit down, it’s a long story.”

Once they were all seated at the table, the king leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and folded his hands.

“I could tell you the story, but I think it better to just show you.” Randor’s voice broke slightly as he spoke.

“What do you mean?” Adam asked apprehensively.

The king put his hand up, silencing Adam. He reached into his robe and took out a small hologram projector, he placed it on the table and pressed a button on the side. 

The hologram lit up the room, it seemed to be a hand-held video, it showed what looked like the room Adora had woken up in earlier and sitting in a chair by the crib sat a younger version of Queen Marlena, she looked...Happy.

“Randor!” She laughed. “Must you record now? I just got them to sleep!”

“This is the first day of our children’s lives, Marlena!” The king laughed from behind the camera. “I just want to document it, my love.”

The camera panned down into the crib, revealing two children holding onto each other, Adora startled, realizing that was her and Adam.

“Welcome to the world…” Randor said behind the camera, the smile could be heard in his voice, his hand reached down and caressed one of their cheeks. “How is your beautiful mother doing?”

The camera panned back to Marlena who laughed, the camera shook as she leaned past it, obviously kissing Randor. 

As if on cue, one of the babies began to cry.

“Oh, it’s Adora again, dear, can you soothe her?” Marlena asked, leaning back into the frame.

“Of course, hold this,” Randor said the camera shook as he handed it to Marlena.

“Do I have to?” She laughed, filming him pick up the crying baby Adora.

“Yes, this is the happiest day of our liv-” Randor started to say.

Suddenly, the room was enveloped in light.

“Randor!” Marlena shouted. “What’s happening?”

The camera was dropped to the floor, static appearing on the screen

“Randor!” Marlena shouted again, this time her voice was static. “Where’s Adora?”

Just like that, the video was consumed by static.

“We looked all over Eternia for you, Adora.” Marlena sobbed, unable to speak.

“But we couldn’t find you…” Randor finished for her, placing his hand on Marlena’s shoulder. “We thought it best not to tell Adam about you, we didn’t want him growing up without you.”

“But I did!” Adam shouted, and slammed his hands down on the table as he stood up. “You just lied to me!”

“Adam!” Randor scolded. “Your Mother and I did what was best for you.”

Adora barely registered what was happening around her, she knew she had been taken but...She hadn’t known, ancients she hadn’t known…

“Did you stop?” Adora asked, her voice sounding more broken than she meant it to.

“What?” Marlena looked at her.

“Why you stop looking?” Adora asked again. Her face felt wet, why was her face wet? Was she crying?

“Adora…” Randor placed his strong hand on Adora’s shoulder and she almost jerked back, but she didn’t. “We were always trying to find you, we just never expected you to come to us.”

Adora was crying, she clutched her hands in her lap and sobbed like a child, stars she felt so stupid. She felt strong arms wrap around her and she paused, looking up. Adam was hugging her, and so were Marlena and Randor, so were her Mother and Father.

Adora was home.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ack i cried im not gonna lie to you  
look for me on tumblr bc i make edits also @forthehonorr  
don't know what to comment? I got you  
-what did you like?  
-what didn't you like?  
-what do you want to see?  
-did something make you laugh?


	4. four - what are daughters supposed to be anyway?  (and what are brothers?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i missed updating yesterday, can't promise another update next week but i'll do my best

Adam was the first to let go, he sat back down next to Adora and fixed Randor with a steely glare.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” Adam asked, his voice was still tense and angry.

“Adam-” Randor began.

“Were you ever going to tell me?!” Adam asked again, raising his voice, Adora flinched.

“Do not raise your voice at me, young man!” Randor took a step forward toward Adam. Adora resisted the urge to cover her ears, she instead opted to study the stonework on the floor.

“Boys-” Marlena started to intervene but Adam turned on her.

“You’re not any better, you went along with his lie!” Adam yelled, stepping toward her. “You obviously were never going to tell me, you just waited until she showed up out of nowhere and then didn’t even tell me she was here!”

Marlena took a step back, tears were welling up in her eyes.

“Adam-” She started again.

“Whatever, I’ll be in my room.” Adam waved his hand dismissively and stormed out the doors, leaving Adora alone with Randor and Marlena.

Randor sat back down in his chair at the head of the table and rubbed his forehead, he stared off into space pensively, his eyes cloudy with thought.

“I’m sorry, Adora.” He said finally. “I didn’t want your first day here to be...Like this.” He sighed.

What did he want it to be like? 

“Randor, Adam is just angry, he’ll cool down in the morning,” Marlena said gently.

Randor didn’t reply, he just nodded.

“Adora, why don’t I walk you to your room?” Marlena said quickly, she took Adora’s hand in hers and started to lead her out the door.

The king stayed behind, he looked so much older than he had in that video, sitting in the dim torchlight with a haggard expression. Adora wondered that if she’d never been taken...If he would still look so sad.

  
  


The walk to her room was awkwardly quiet, Adora didn’t know what to say to Marlena. What did daughters talk to their mothers about? She didn’t really know, and she guessed Marlena didn’t either because she was quiet too.

Adora had to say something.

“Is Adam always like that?” She asked. That was a dumb thing to say, why did she say that?

“Adam has always been petulant,” Marlena sighed. “He and your father have never seen eye to eye…”

“Oh.” Adora chewed on her lip nervously. Was that her fault? If she hadn’t disappeared would they still…?

“I think Adam resents your father for being so protective…” Marlena clasped her hands tightly. “I don’t think Randor ever got over what happened that day, neither of us really did...” She trailed off.

Adora looked at the floor. It was her fault that her family was like this, if she hadn’t disappeared they’d probably all be happy.

“I’m sorry…” She murmured.

Marlena stopped in her tracks, Adora almost ran straight into her back but stopped quickly, looking up at her with confusion.

“Adora.” She announced sternly, turning on her heel and looking down at her. “None of what happened is your fault, stars, you were only a baby, what could you have done?”

Marlena reached out and took Adora’s hand.

“I don’t know what kind of life you have had, but…” She hesitated. “I want you to know that you can have a better life here.”

Adora looked down at their joined hands and her breath hitched. She could have a better life here, forget the Horde, forget about She-Ra and...Leave Glimmer behind. She knew she couldn’t stay, but she wanted to. And that made her feel horrible.

Marlena ran her thumb along the back of Adora’s hand and offered her a small smile that only served to make Adora feel worse.

“I know it’s probably hard for you to talk about, but I want to hear about your life…” Marlena looked down at their hands. “All the things I missed…” She looked wistful for a moment.

“You didn’t miss much…” Adora said with a morbid chuckle. “Trust me.”

Marlena fixed her with her sad gaze, she looked hurt like Adora had personally insulted her.

“I still want to know.” She said sadly. “It hurts me when you say these things, Adora.”

Why would she want to know? She didn’t need to know all that Adora had been through, it would just make her upset, and that was the last thing Adora wanted. But not telling her was making her more upset, so Adora was torn.

Was it so hard for her to believe someone actually wanted to get to know her? Especially when that person was her own mother.

Marlena was silent for the rest of the walk, but she kept Adora’s hand clasped in her own. 

Adora didn’t mind, but she hoped her hand wasn’t too clammy.

They arrived at a door and Marlena stopped.

“I hope you don’t mind, I put a sheet over the window…” She said, she clasped her hands together and didn’t meet Adora’s gaze.

Adora flinched. The window that she broke…

So the Queen did know about her escape, was she mad? Adora didn’t want to know if she was or not.

“I’m glad you came back, Adora,” Marlena whispered, Adora almost didn’t catch it because she was so wrapped up in her thoughts. “I know this all must be strange for you, ancients know it’s strange for all of us, but…” 

But what? Adora could have a better life here? At what cost? 

Glimmer’s life. Her brain supplied.

Marlena kissed Adora’s forehead. A motherly gesture that only made the pit in her stomach grow, because it reminded her of Angella, which in turn reminded her of Glimmer.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” She said quietly, she sounded as doubtful as Adora felt.

The door closed softly behind Adora as she stepped into the room.

It looked like it had been cleaned while she was...Gone. The dust and cobwebs had been cleared and the bed had been freshly made, the crib that had once stood in the corner had disappeared, tucked away where she couldn’t throw it out the window.

The sheets that had been covering the furniture had also been discarded, revealing a vanity that was missing a chair, (Probably the one she threw out the window…) and two uncomfortable looking armchairs.

Adora walked over to the bed and tested it with one hand, it was too soft, not like she was tired enough to sleep anyway.

She wished that the room had the crystals her room back in Brightmoon had, because at least then she could hit them to train. 

Maybe the vanity would have hair ties in it at least.

The vanity did, in fact, have hair ties, she tried pulled her hair back into her usual ponytail, but instead of being soothing like she expected it to be, it was constricting and painful. She pulled the hair tie out and relaxed, maybe Catra was right, having her hair back all the time probably did make her lose brain cells.

Her hair once again fell to her shoulders and she made a face in the mirror. It wasn’t like she didn’t like her hair, she liked it just fine, it’s just that she didn’t quite know what to do with it. She honestly just wanted it out of her face and pulling it back had sufficed, but somehow it felt wrong to go back to normal after all she had been through.

She looked down at the hair tie again and back up at her reflection in the mirror, she pulled the top part of her hair out to the back and tied it back loosely, leaving the bottom part of her hair out, it kept her hair out of her face without it being too tight and constricting.

Adora didn’t take the time to look at her reflection, she stood up and shed her jacket, hanging it on the bedpost. 

Maybe doing a few drills would tire her out enough to sleep.

___

Adora laid back on the floor, relishing in the cool stone pressing against her back through her shirt. She had run through every drill she could think of, even the ones she hadn’t done she had left the Horde but she didn’t feel any more tired, she just felt sweaty, plus her mind was still racing with the realizations of the day.

Who was Queen Grayskull? She figured that, as Adam said, she was her ‘million times great-grandma’ whatever that meant.

More importantly, what did she have to do with She-Ra? What did the entire council have to do with Mara and the portal and Etheria? Why did everyone here think Etheria was a myth? 

Adora groaned and covered her eyes with her hands. She was giving herself a headache, why was it so hard to get answers?

Suddenly, she felt something clamber onto her lap and she sat up quickly, ready to attack whatever it was.

It looked like...Catra? But it wasn’t humanoid, it stood on four small paws and it had ears and a tail like Catrra did, but the most striking things about it were it’s piercing yellow eyes and green and orange striped fur.

“Uh…” Adora waved at it. “Hi.”

It didn’t speak back, it merely blinked at her, tilting its head.

Maybe it didn’t speak, animals didn’t usually talk but Adora could think of a very talkative horse she knew.

“Are you lost?” She reached out and touched its soft head, it purred and she felt her heart pang, remembering Catra. Even the creature’s eyes reminded her of Catra, the gleaming yellow orbs bored right through her and into her soul. 

She didn’t remember seeing it when she walked in, maybe it had gotten through the broken window.

“Cringer!” A barely concealed whisper sounded outside the door, it sounded like…

The door opened.

“Adam.” She said, looking up at him in the doorframe.

“Oh, I didn’t…” Adam looked down at her quizzically, then at the creature in her lap. “You found Cringer.”

“I think he found me, but yeah,” Adora replied, she stood up and plucked the creature off the ground, handing it to Adam who took it. 

“Are you okay?” Adam asked he sounded sincere as if he hadn’t just yelled at their parents hours before.

“I’m fine.” She lied, wiping her face. Since when was she crying? Since when did she become such a child?

“Listen, I’m sorry for yelling at dinner,” He pet the creature in his arms absently and sat down next to her. “I just...I feel like they robbed me of knowing you, if I knew you were out there I would have tried harder to find you.”

Adam fixed Adora with a steely gaze. The same one she saw in Marlena, the same one she had.

What was she supposed to say to that?

“You don’t even know me…” She said.

“Family sticks together, Adora,” Adam replied with a shrug.

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew…” Adora trailed off. Knew what? There was a lot of things wrong with her, where would she even start?

“Knew what?” Adam pushed her shoulder playfully, jarring her. “Come on, what could be so bad?”   
“I was raised by the Horde.” She blurted, she squeezed her eyes shut, she didn’t dare look at Adam.

“What?” Adam chuckled awkwardly. “That’s not funny, Adora.”

Adora brought her knees close to her chest and buried her face in them.

Adam’s silence spoke more words than he could ever say. He hated her, he definitely hated her and he was going to tell Marlena and Randor and they would be mad and hate her too. Adora lifted her head and looked at him, he was looking at her in shock, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t that.” He finally said, Adora winced and lowered her head again. “You have a lot to tell me then, huh?”

“What?” She asked, lifting her head again.

“We got time, Adora,” Adam said softly, he reclined on the floor, looking at her expectantly. 

The words came flowing faster than she expected them to, it was like a dam broke and Adam looked a little taken aback, but he listened nonetheless. 

After she finished telling him about everything else, The Horde, Catra, Glimmer, and Bow she finally brought up She-Ra.

“Wait, She-Ra? Really?” Adam leaned forward. “She’s real too?”

Adora hesitated. 

“She was.” She replied, studying the tiles of the floor.

“In the stories, they said she went crazy from the power and destroyed Etheria in a rage, but I guess that’s not true, ‘cause Etheria obviously still exists,” Adam said. “So what really happened?”

“Mara, the old She-Ra, saved Etheria from destruction and sent us to Despandos, an empty dimension,” Adora said carefully, she was watching Adam’s face carefully for his reaction. “But Horde Prime pulled us out and kidnapped my friend Glimmer.”

“Wait, slow down,” Adam said, holding his hands up. “The old She-Ra? So there’s a new one? Who are they? Why aren’t they helping you find your friend?”

Adora winced.

“I was the new She-Ra before I broke the sword to stop Etheria from being destroyed.” She babbled. “I didn’t mean to break it, it just happened and now She-Ra is gone and the universe is doomed and it’s all my fault.” She pressed her fists against the sides of her head to ground herself but it wasn’t working, she was spiraling and she knew it but she couldn’t stop it. “And now I’m here and I want to stay but I have to save Glimmer and fix everything and I wish for once I could just make my own decisions without having something I have to do or else I lose someone I love!”

Adam put his arm around her shoulders and held her close until her breathing evened out.

“I’ll help you find your friend, I mean how hard can it be?” Adam said finally.

Adora let herself chuckle at that.

“So what’s the plan, She-Ra?” Adam grinned down at her and she found herself grinning right back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter went through the most edits of all the chapters  
yet i always make it harder for myself with cliffhangers


	5. five - overwhelmed?  or just happy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a hot second...But I fixed a lot of my formatting issues and i hope u enjoy this chapter.

In hindsight, Adora probably overwhelmed Adam a little bit with her strategy, because he fell asleep.

Adora didn’t know when Adam had fallen asleep, but he was lying flat on his back, snoring loudly. Adora secretly hoped she didn’t snore that loud as she looked down at him.

Cringer had fallen asleep on his chest, curled up into a little ball that reminded her painfully of Catra.

Cringer, she was told, was a cat. A creature that was separate from the Magicat species of Etheria that Catra belonged to.

She had read about Magicats in Bow’s Dad’s library, where she found books on actual Etherian history; not just the stuff the Horde told her that was mostly, if not entirely, fake.

Adam let out a particularly loud snore that jostled her from her thoughts, she resisted the urge to kick him.

It’s not like she could sleep anyway. Even though telling Adam about the Horde had lifted the weight off her shoulders, she was still worried about Bow.

What if he had come back to the ship, seen a sign of struggle and was looking for her? 

Or worse, he thought she was in the barracks sleeping and left without her?

Meanwhile, she was sitting in a climate-controlled castle next to her brother who was snoring downright concerningly loud.

That will probably never stop being weird, having a family was weird enough, but a twin brother who looks like her? Even weirder.

Adora still wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell the King and Queen that she was from the Horde if they didn’t already know from her clothes.

If they did know, they probably secretly hated her for it.

Was it so bad for her to want a fresh start here? 

She couldn’t.

She got up and started pacing.

She couldn’t abandon the universe, even if the sword was broken.

But ancients, she wanted to, she wanted to live with her real family and forget her responsibilities and make her own decisions.

Adora took the sheet off the window and breathed in the fresh night air, which she figured was one benefit of breaking the window, she sat on the floor next to it and rested her head on the wall, when at last she fell into a merciful sleep.

  
  


___

The next morning Adora woke up to a girl kicking in the door (She guessed it was her door now technically.) and she immediately shot up from the floor in a battle stance, she kicked her leg out in a roundhouse kick, narrowly missing the intruder’s face.

“Woah!” The girl jumped back. “Have you been doing secret training, Adam?”

The girl tilted her head and looked Adora up and down, Adora was still standing in a fighting stance, unsure of her intentions.

“You’re not Adam.” She said. “Who are you? Are you a clone of Adam or something?” The girl reached for what looked like a collapsable staff at her belt but didn’t draw.

Adora looked between her face and the weapon, she swore that she had seen her somewhere before but she couldn’t remember where.

“I’m not a clone of Adam,” She finally said, releasing her fighting stance and putting her hands up in surrender.

“That’s exactly what a clone of Adam would say…” The girl said, her hand was getting dangerously close to drawing the weapon and Adora really didn’t want to fight her. 

Suddenly, the girl drew her weapon and extended it into a bo staff, she raised it over her head and brought it down in a skilled overhead strike.

Adora blocked with her forearms and ducked to avoid another hit.

This girl was fast, and Adora wasn’t keeping up.

The girl aimed a swipe at Adora’s legs and before Adora could jump out of harm’s way, her legs were swept out from under her and the end of the staff was pressed into her chest at her collarbone.

“Who are you?” The girl demanded.

“Teela?” Adam asked as he sat up from his spot the floor where he had buried himself under a blanket, the blanket hung over one side of his face and it would have been funny to Adora if she wasn’t being threatened right that second.

“Prince Adam, stay back, there’s an intruder.” The girl, who Adora now remembered as Teela, shot back in Adam’s direction.

“Ancients, Teela, it’s just Adora,” Adam said, he rubbed his eyes blearily. “Haven’t you been debriefed yet? Man-At-Arms should have told you already.”

“Clearly my father doesn’t tell me anything, Adam,” Teela rolled her eyes and dropped Adam’s title as she spoke more casually, even though her bo staff was still pressing into Adora’s collarbone.

“Adora is my long lost twin sister,” Adam said, as plainly as if it were the most obvious and normal thing in the world. 

Adora stole an incredulous glance in his direction, but Adam didn’t see her and she bit the inside of her cheeks nervously, waiting for Teela’s reaction.

Teela’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

“Adam you can’t be serious, you are an only child.” Even as she said it, Teela looked doubtfully down at Adora who avoided her gaze like the plague, she hated it when people stared at her. 

“It’s true,” Adora finally chimed in. 

Teela glared down at Adora suspiciously and after a moment of consideration, removed the bo staff from Adora’s collarbone, she didn’t bother to reach down to help Adora stand.

Adora quickly got up and stepped out of the reach of the bo staff next to Adam.

“But, if you have a sister…” Teela said she looked between them bewilderedly. “Then why didn’t King Randor and Queen Marlena tell us?”

Adam scoffed loudly.

“Great question.” He joked, but his tone was grim and Adora thought he was going to continue, but he merely ran his hands through his messy straw-colored hair and looked angry.

“Well…” Teela said, her gaze was fixed on Adora now and she once again shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. “What’s your name?”

It took Adora a second to realize Teela was talking to her, but who else would she be talking to? Ancients, Adora was off her game today and it showed.

“Adora.” She blurted, her face growing hot in embarrassment at how long it took her to answer.

Teela’s eyebrows shot up. 

“Really?” She chuckled. “Well Adora, I’m Teela, bodyguard to Prince Adam.” Teela held out her hand for Adora and Adora took it skeptically, but Teela shook it amicably despite her still guarded expression

“I suppose I’m technically your bodyguard too, but by the looks of things you can handle yourself, unlike Adam.” She jabbed a thumb in Adam’s direction and Adora let herself chuckle, remembering his terrible fighting stance.

Teela turned on her heel toward Adam.

“Adam, don’t think you can skimp out on training today just because you found your sister,” She chastised as she advanced on him, he shirked back like a scared child despite the fact that Teela was considerably shorter than him. 

“You better be down in the courtyard in ten minutes or I’m gonna make you skip lunch! Ancients know you’ve already missed breakfast.” 

She poked Adam in the chest to emphasize her point.

“Yes, Teela,” Adam said obediently. 

Adora stifled a laugh behind her hand at the scene of Adam bending to the will of the much smaller Teela.

Teela nodded approvingly and turned toward the door.

“And Adora, feel free to join us,” She remarked over her shoulder as she went to leave. “I’d like to see how you are in a real fight.”

Adora couldn’t help the way her face heated up in embarrassment.

“She sure is something, huh?” Adam teased and elbowed her playfully in the side.

She recovered quickly and elbowed him back, turning to face him.

“She borderline has you on a leash.” Adora teased back.

“What?” Adam shook his head flusteredly. “She does not!”

“Yes, Teela,” Adora said, copying his tone mockingly and laughing.

Adam laughed and pushed her shoulder playfully.

“I have to go, I really don’t wanna run laps around the castle again.” He finally said after they had stopped laughing. “You should come, or I can try and flake out and I can show you around the castle.”

“No, you don’t have to do that,” Adora said quickly, she paused, considering her next words she rubbed her arm nervously. “Am I allowed to go?”

“Uh...Yeah?” Adam chuckled as if it was a dumb question. “You’re the Princess of Eternia, I’d like to see anyone try and stop you.”

“Right…” Adora replied, that was weird, that was incredibly weird and would take getting used to.

Adam called Cringer back to him, and the small green cat bounded out of the blankets he was buried in over to his master’s side and they exited the room, leaving Adora alone.

She didn’t quite know what to do, so she started on her usual morning stretches.

One.

Two.

Three.

Repeat.

The monotony of the routine helped clear her mind and she felt her shoulders relax.

One.

Two.

Three.

Repeat.

A knock on the door made her thoughts come rushing back and her shoulders tense back up.

“Uh…” She looked around. “Come in?” She phrased it more like a question than she meant to.

The door opened slowly and a small meek woman stepped inside, in her hands, she was holding a folded pile of clothes.

“Princess Adora,” The woman said so quietly that Adora had to strain to hear. “I brought you some clothes at Queen Marlena’s request, I hope these are to your liking.”   
She placed the clothes gently on the vanity and bowed as she exited, closing the door behind her.

“Uh, thank you,” Adora said, but the woman was already gone.

Adora walked over to the vanity and picked up the shirt from the folded stack, she examined it closely.

It was a simple light red tunic with 3/4 length sleeves and a collar. Beneath the shirt was a pair of grey pants, nestled at the bottom was a pair of red flats that made her wrinkle her nose, imagining how uncomfortable they would be.

They felt like they might’ve been Adam’s at one point, the tunic was a size too large and the pants didn’t fit quite right.

Frankly, Adora would have preferred to stay in her normal clothes, but she had been wearing them for days on the ship looking for Glimmer, and Mara’s ship didn’t exactly have a laundry room.

Although she did wish that the clothes fit.

___

Walking through the castle was weird. Everywhere she went what she assumed was the staff would gawk at her, or bow and say;

“Good morning Prince Adam.” 

Despite the fact it was mid-afternoon.

She got sick of walking around aimlessly and quietly approached a woman who was cleaning a window.

“Excuse me?” Adora asked.

The woman jumped and turned around, she looked Adora up and down and her eyes widened.

“Prince Adam,” She said shocked, she bowed deeply. “How may I help you?”

“Uh…” Adora shifted on her feet nervously.

What was she supposed to do?

“Yes,” She said, pitching her voice down in a futile attempt to sound like Adam.

Not that!

“How do you get to the courtyard from here?” She asked.

“Yes…” The woman nodded slowly and pointed down the hallway. “The door down the hall, milord.”

Adora set off on her way quickly and opened the first door she saw, thankfully (mercifully) it led outside.

The courtyard was larger than she thought it would be, about twice as big as the Horde’s Simulation Room and surrounded by the high sandstone and marble walls of the castle on all sides, Adora looked around in awe, taking in the high walls.

“Adora!” Adam shouted.

Adora looked over and saw him standing on a ring of made of sandstone, holding a bo staff and facing Teela who rolled her eyes at him.

“You made it!” Adam grinned. 

Teela forcibly knocked him on his back with a well-aimed jab, but Adam only laughed as he fell.

“I told you she’d make it!” He said up to Teela.

Teela kicked him in the side. 

“Focus, Adam!” She scolded.

Adora jogged over and leaned against the stone ring casually as if she’d done it every day of their lives.

She wished she had.

“Does he lose focus a lot?” She asked Teela.

“Yes,” Teela said, exasperated. “I can usually motivate him with food but he’s been going on and on about showing you around the castle today.”

“Are you wearing my clothes?” Adam asked, his head dangled over the side of the ring as he looked at her upside down. 

“Yes?” Adora looked down at her clothes. “I think so, Queen Marlena had them sent to  
my room this morning after you left.”

“We need to get you to the tailor.” He said, wrinkling his nose.

“Everyone thought I was you, I think I’d rather just have my old clothes washed,” Adora   
replied.

“Pssh,” Adam scoffed. “You could have the clothes made to look like whatever you   
want.”

Adora furrowed her eyebrows.

She didn’t necessarily like any other clothes, she liked her uniform. It was the one thing that was normal in her life at least vaguely.

“Adam,” Teela interjected, poking him with her bo staff. “Come on, finish your drills.”

“Ugghhh,” Adam groaned exaggeratedly. “Fine.”

Adam kicked up off the ground and landed on his feet, brandishing his bo staff, in the completely wrong way Adora noted with a slight chuckle.

Luckily, Teela jabbed him into proper form.

“You need to pay more attention to your form, Adam!” Teela chided. 

Adam rolled his eyes.

“What’s the use of forms when I’m already great at fighting?” He asked.

“Don’t be an idiot, Adam.” Teela accentuated her words with four quick jabs and a sweep, knocking him off his feet.

Adam grumbled and got back up, facing Teela again with a glare.

Adora watched in vague amusement as Adam was knocked to the ground repeatedly by Teela, his blows getting angrier and angrier the more he fell.

“This is why you need proper form!” Teela scolded to Adam, who was once again on his   
back.

Adam kicked up again and faced Teela, his form was sloppy and he was angry.

Teela quickly moved to cross strike and knock him over with a leg-sweep but Adam saw it coming, he jumped out of the way and started to hold his staff more like a longsword, he repeatedly swiped at Teela who was blocking his attacks with her staff.

Finally, Adam got a well-aimed thrust in on Teela’s chest on her body armor and knocked her back off the raised platform onto the grass.

“Haha!” He raised his arms victoriously and grinned, his anger forgotten.

Teela got up and brushed the dirt off of her pants.

“Your form was all off, Adam, you can’t solve every problem with brute strength,” Teela said, she accentuated her words by poking him in the chest with her index finger.

“But it works.” Adam shrugged, 

He jumped off the platform next to Adora and offered his bo staff to her.

“What?” She asked quizzically.

Adam rolled his eyes as if it was a dumb question.

“Your turn.” He replied simply, tossing the bo staff to her, which she clumsily caught.

“Is that a good idea?” Adora asked. “I’m not wearing any body armor or anything...”

Adam laughed and sat down on the grass.

“It’ll be fine.”

Adora stepped up onto the stone platform and faced Teela who was smirking.

“Have you ever even held a bo staff before?” She asked slyly.

“Yes,” Adora said, her face flushing in embarrassment.

Teela aimed a quick cross strike at Adora’s side.

Adora blocked quickly, she turned out to the side and kicked out, aiming to knock the staff out of Teela’s hand.

Teela saw it coming and knocked Adora’s leg to the side, almost making her lose her balance.

Adora flipped backward into a somersault to regain her balance, now at the edge of the platform.

Teela advanced, but Adora narrowed her eyes and blocked another cross strike, she grabbed Teela’s bo staff and spun it out of her hands, she kicked out and hit Teela square in the chest, knocking her over onto her back and weaponless.

Was that too much? 

Oh no, that was too much and she was gonna get in trouble...

“Yeah! Adora!” Adam cheered, he leaped up onto the platform and hugged her from behind, startling her.

“Where did you learn to fight like that?” Teela asked, she had stood up and was facing Adora, her mouth wide open in shock.

“Uh…” Adora fumbled. “I just picked it up...Somewhere or other.”

It didn’t look like Teela believed her, she definitely wasn’t gonna drop it.

A lump formed in Adora’s throat and a pit in her stomach at the lie by omission.

The sound of applause sounded from somewhere nearby and Adora looked instantly to the source.

Queen Marlena and King Randor were standing under a tree in the courtyard.

How long had they been watching?

Adora, Teela, and Adam stepped down from the platform, Teela bowed and Adam crossed his arms grumpily, Adora didn’t quite know what to do so she held the bo staff tighter nervously.

“Impressive.” The king said with a smile. His eyes twinkled with a playfulness that betrayed his stoic demeanor from the previous night.

“Very.” The queen said, with a similar smile. She walked forward and tsked, reaching out and touching the clothes Adora wore. “Ancients, I did hope these would fit you better…”

“I think all you did was make them look more alike, Marlena.” The king said as he walked over to join them.

“Well Father, the thing about twins is that even if you don’t tell one about the other,” Adam said darkly, meeting the king’s eyes with a steely gaze. “They still,look alike,” 

King Randor looked like he was going to say something back, but he glanced at Queen Marlena and silenced himself.

Marlena looked between King Randor and Adam and took Adora’s hand gently.

“Adora,” She said, looking down at Adora with a guarded smile. “Why don’t I take you to the tailor?”

Adora looked between Adam and King Randor and Adam and nodded, letting Marlena pull her along.

Even if she didn’t want new clothes necessarily, she didn’t wanna be here when  _ that  _ bomb went off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow....bonding...


	6. six - im not in the swing of things (or what i really mean is not in the swing of things yet)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was torture to write, but it's extra long!! Next chapter should be up soon but I have a couple of commissions I want to finish before I even look at another google doc.

Adora had been to a couple of fittings before for her uniforms, but it had been by the horde's robots, as according to the horde, there was no use wasting someone to be a tailor. 

That being said, she wasn’t sure she liked being tailored by a human yet. It wasn't that it was different, she still had to stand the same way, but it was taking forever because the woman had to keep stopping to write something down, and sometimes she would forget and have to take the measurement again. 

The woman who was doing her fitting was small, with dark hair and green eyes, she looked nice enough, but she kept glancing up at Adora in confusion and looking at the Queen worriedly.

Adora mistakenly caught the woman's eye, she smiled nervously down at her, before fixing her eyes back up on the wall and gulping.

“Uh,” She began cautiously. “I’m really okay with wearing Adam’s clothes…”

It wasn’t like she could stop the woman from wondering why she looked exactly like the crown prince or gossiping about it, but she really didn’t like being looked at like that.

Like what? 

Questioningly? 

Yeah, she really did not like it.

Queen Marlena didn’t seem to hear her, she was examining some of the rolls of fabrics that lined the walls in neat shelves.

  
  


The room they were currently in was near the back of the castle Adora figured, it was small and made of cool tan sandstone, with the floors covered in a myriad of rugs, there was one small window that led out to the back of the castle and looked out over the water.   
Adora assumed it was the ocean, but she couldn’t be sure.

She made a note to ask Adam later. 

In the center of the room, where Adora now stood awkwardly, was a raised pedestal surrounded by mirrors, so Adora could see herself from every angle, all of them making her feel like she looked extremely out of place.

“What kind of fabric do you like?” Marlena asked, glancing up at her.

Adora didn’t know the answer to that question, she liked the textures of her uniform, and anything else felt incredibly wrong, like needles.

Luckily, no one in Brightmoon had really said anything about her clothes, except Glimmer for Princess Prom.

She kind of wished that she had taken more Horde Clothes when she had left for Brightmoon, but it wasn’t like she knew was going to defect that day/.

“I don’t know.” She answered honestly.

Marlena frowned a little but quickly resumed her smile.

“That’s all right, let’s just pick what looks nice then.” She said.

  
  


Adora was obviously not one for fashion, she looked around panicked, hoping to see something that stuck out but all the different colors were overwhelming.

Why couldn’t this just be simple? Red and white, those were nice and simple.

“Uh, what about…” She pointed to a simple looking white fabric. “That one?”

Marlena picked it from the assortment and examined it closely.

  
“Good choice, Adora.” She said, running her hands across the bolt of cloth. 

Marlena placed it on a table and walked over to the section had had all the yellow and gold fabrics, she picked out one and held it up for Adora to look at.

“What do you think of this one?” She asked brightly.

The gold fabric was elegant, even Adora could tell that much.

It was a beautiful color of gold that reminded Adora of the golden wings on the front of Brightmoon’s castle, it shimmered in the afternoon sunlight that was streaming through the window.

It looked _ expensive, _almost like it was made of actual gold.

Maybe it was, it was a castle.

“It’s nice,” Adora said. “It’s a little fancy though, is that really necessary?”

  
  


“Well, that’s what I wanted to ask you about," Marlena paused, worrying her bottom lip." We, Randor and I, were thinking of having a ceremony to celebrate your arrival and tell the kingdom about you.” Marlena fidgeted with some of the fabric in two of her fingers. “If that is alright with you.”

Adora couldn’t help it, her jaw dropped. 

Ceremony? Like a ball?

Tell the kingdom? About her?

When? Now?

The tailor tapped on Adora’s arms gently, reminding her to hold her arms back up.

“Uh…” Adora closed her mouth, her face flushing in embarrassment. “When?

She put her arms back up and tried even harder not to make eye contact with the small woman.

“Well, tonight is the 20th anniversary of your fa-King Randor’s rule, I was hoping tonight?” Marlena looked at Adora hopefully. “That is if you’re okay with that.”

  
  


Was Adora okay with that?

She didn’t know.

She really didn’t and now the queen was looking at her expectantly and she felt like she had to say something. 

Announcing her to the kingdom had a lot of implications. 

For one thing, she was pretty sure the kingdom was the entire planet which was...Wow, that was a lot and was she freaking out? She felt like she was freaking out a little bit. Wow, this room is suddenly very warm and stuffy.

Maybe a little bit was an understatement.

  
  


The tailor dismissed her and she stepped down from the pedestal, trying to keep her legs from turning to jelly as she moved.

Another thing was that people would know if they didn’t already, it wasn’t like it was easy to hide that she looked exactly like the Crown Prince.

She wouldn’t be able to leave afterward, would she? Did she even want to leave anymore? 

  
  


“Adora,” Marlena had moved and was standing in front Adora, her hands were hovering near her like she was ready to catch her if she fell. “I want you to think about it, we don’t have to tell the kingdom about you tonight if you don’t want to.”

But she _ did _want to. 

What was even holding Adora back? She-Ra? She-Ra was gone, and she was not anybody’s weapon or anybody’s tool, she was her own person and she wanted to make her own decisions.

Even if that decision wasn't right for anyone else, it was right for her. 

“I think that’s a great idea, Mom.” Adora let herself fall into her Mother's embrace to keep her legs from giving out, met her Mother’s gaze with her own and smiled.

Marlena’s eyes welled up with tears and she hugged Adora tightly 

Adora hugged tighter. 

Adora was crying too.

It felt like she had cried a lot recently, but this was different, it was happy.

_

“Geez, I was beginning to think the tailor killed you or something,” Adam said unceremoniously as she walked back into the courtyard where Teela and Adam were clearly still training.

At least, supposedly. 

He was sitting down and leaning against a tree in the afternoon sun and beckoned her over to him.

Teela meanwhile wasn't looking at him, doing some drills of her own on top of the platform. 

It looked like Teela had made good on her promise to make him do laps, he was sweaty, (she could honestly smell him from where she was standing and she had to resist the urge to wrinkle her nose.) and he had opted to shed his shirt, revealing his well-toned torso.

Upon close inspection, his muscles were very superficial, like he only used them to show off, and not for actual strength.

Adam grinned up at her as she approached. 

She could tell the boy wouldn't make it a second in a real battle. 

“Hey! Adora!” Teela waved, she jumped down from the platform.

She gave Adam a kick in the side as she passed him. 

“You didn’t finish your laps, Prince Adam.” She chided.

Adora snickered.

  
“Excuse me, Teela, I was talking to my sister who I just met.” Adam stood up to his full height and looked down at Teela, he stuck out his tongue like an overgrown toddler. "Have some respect." 

Teela ignored him.

“I think you should join our training sessions out here,” She glanced at Adam. “I think Adam could learn some things from you.”

Adam scoffed and put his hand on his chest in mock offense.

“I will have you know, Teela, I totally beat you in our bout today.” He remarked smugly.

Teela rounded on Adam and pointed her finger up at him, poking him square in the chest.

“Only because you used your strength against me!” She scolded. “What’s gonna happen when I’m not there to protect you and you have to fight someone stronger than you? That’s why the form is important!”

Adora nodded in agreement, Adam was good but he lacked experience. 

Adam rolled his eyes and grabbed his shirt from the ground, slipping it on.

“Whatever, nobody has attacked Eternia since Dad took the throne, I don’t think anyone is going to anytime soon.” He shrugged. “Horde Prime is too scared of the council’s power anyway.”

Adora flinched at the mention of the Horde.

“You don’t know that…” Teela growled. “Whatever, we’re done with training for today.” 

She stormed off, leaving Adora and Adam alone.

The silence was kind of awkward and Adora was about to ask him about the ceremony that night before he spoke up. 

“Hey, why don’t I give you that tour of the castle?” Adam grinned at her.

Adora shrugged.   
It wasn’t like she had anything else to do, and maybe she could prod him about the history of Eternia and how it connected to Etheria, and what exactly she was supposed to even do at the ceremony that night. 

  
“Sure.” She said.

  
  
  
  


The castle was huge, bigger than Brightmoon and the Kingdom of Frosts’ castles. 

It was a little overwhelming, to say the least.

As far as Adora could figure, the castle itself was kind of hourglass-shaped if you were to look on it from the top-down.

There were three diamond-shaped towers at each end of the hourglass that held important rooms like the barracks and servant’s quarters.   
On the front of the castle, there was one circular tower that held her and Adam’s rooms, and on the back of the castle in the center, there was another circular tower that held the Queen and King’s room.

In the center of the hourglass there was a large domed building that held the Throne Room and the Eternian Council Room, at the very top was the Grayskull Council Room where Adam had taken her to “interrogate her.”

After Adam had explained the layout of the dome, Adora tilted her head.

  
“What happened to the old council?” Adora asked.

She almost had to jog to keep up with Adam as he walked, he wasn't that much taller than her but his strides were long and he didn't exactly wait up for her. 

“I don’t know,” Adam shrugged, glowering. “Dad says he’ll tell me when I become king, but how am I supposed to be a good king when he doesn’t tell me anything?”

That was obviously a sensitive topic for him.

“Whatever, all I know is that they all died right before Dad took power in the Battle of Eternos,” Adam said nonchalantly. “Come on, I wanna show you the kitchen, the cook always makes the best food!”

“Woah, slow down.” Adora grabbed his arm before he could runoff. “What’s the Battle of Eternos?”

“Oh right,” Adam leaned against the nearest wall. “Twenty years ago, some old enemies of the council attacked and killed my-our-Grandfather, King Marlon, Mom’s dad. Dad was a captain at the time, and he and Man-At-Arms beat back the enemy and Dad won Mom’s hand in marriage, which worked out well because they were already courting each other. My best guess is the same people who killed King Marlon killed the Council.”

Adam may have been her brother, but the boy was quickly starting to make her a little bit crazy with his vague answers.

  
  


“Who were the attackers?” Adora asked she leaned against the wall next to him. 

“I don’t know!” Adam threw his hands up in the air in frustration. “I’ve asked Man-At-Arms a million times, I’ve even asked Orko!”

He crossed his arms glumly.

“Who’s Orko?” Adora felt kind of stupid asking all these questions, especially if Adam didn’t know as much as she thought he did.

“Oh right, you haven’t met him yet,” Adam pushed off the wall and beckoned for her to follow him. “It’s really best if I show you, his tower is this way.” 

Adora followed him apprehensively.

  
  
  
  


Orko’s tower was at the back of the castle, they had to cut through the Great Hall where servants were bustling about setting up for the party that night. They (especially Adora) got a couple of weird looks but Adam kept walking so Adora had no choice but to follow with an awkward wave at the servants.

When they arrived at the tower, Adam tapped a button on his bracelet. 

“What's that?” She looked over his shoulder at it. 

“What?” Adam chuckled. “Oh, it's just my transmitter, you have to use it to open some of the doors in the castle, like to verify your clearance."

Adam tapped his transmitter again, pointing it toward the door and it opened with a hiss.

“The castle is super old, but there’s tech everywhere, Orko is our tech wizard, he made the transmitter and pretty much everything, he’s been around forever,” Adam explained as they entered the room. “He’s gotta be around here somewhere.”

  
  


The room itself was in disarray like a tornado had hit just this tower and somehow spared the rest of the castle, there were bundles of wires everywhere and blue glowing dust-covered almost every surface. At the back of the room, there was a bookcase full of datapads as well as books. In fact, now that Adora looked around, it looked like there were books everywhere, some were holding up rickety tables, others were in stacks and served as tables themselves.

“Orko!” Adam called. “I want you to meet someone!” 

As soon as Adam finished his sentence, a lanky figure slid down a ladder that was leaning against a bookcase and turned to face them, still in the shadows. 

“Prince Adam,” The figure’s voice sounded young, it cracked as he spoke. “I am very busy, young man, unless it is important, I must ask you to leave.”

The figure stepped out of the shadows and Adora blinked in surprise, squinting.

The figure was a teenage boy, he looked to be about fourteen, he had a kind of light blue skin, bright glowing yellow eyes, his face was ridden with acne and framed by greasy black hair tucked behind pointy ears, he wore red robes that bunched up at the floor like he was too short for them.

“Come on, Orko, lighten up,” Adam said, he pushed Adora forward. “This is my sister, Adora.”

Orko waved his hand dismissively. 

“I already know all about the Lost Princess’ return,” He turned back around to his desk. “In fact, King Randor was just here, he was wondering if I could fashion a transmitter for you, Princess Adora.”

“Really, you can just call me Adora,” Adora spoke up. “I don’t really...Need to be called Princess or anything.” She laughed nervously.

Orko turned around to face Adora.

“It is your title, is it not?” He tilted his head, puzzled.

Adora opened her mouth to explain but Adam interrupted.

“I guess you knew about Adora this whole time, Orko.” He added, unhelpfully, he deflated and crossed his arms, pouting like a child.

“Why yes, Prince Adam, I have,” Orko answered as he turned back around and rummaged in his desk. “I was head of the search party that scoured the entirety of Eternia as well as neighboring planets.”

  
Orko pulled one of the transmitters Adam had out of his desk and began tinkering with it.

“That raises the question, Princess Adora,” Orko looked at Adora over his shoulder. “Where have you been?”

“Etheria,” Adora answered matter-of-a-factly. Orko’s eyes widened almost imperceptively.

“Interesting,” He remarked as he turned his head back down to look at what he was tinkering with. “I must encourage you two to go get ready for the ball tonight, Prince Adam especially.”

“Why me ‘especially?’” Adam questioned.

Clearly he was oblivious to how he still _ really _smelled from running laps. When Orko didn’t answer, Adam grumpily lolled his head back in frustration and turned to leave. Adora went to follow him but Orko whistled for her attention.

“Princess Adora,” He called, he waved the bracelet he had been tinkering within the air. “Come here for a moment please,”

Adora stepped further into the room, she was careful not to step on any of the clutter scattered about the floor.

  
“Here,” Orko clipped the transmitter to her wrist with a sort of menacing click. “Ask Prince Adam about any questions you might have.”

“Thank you,” Adora said awkwardly. She looked back and started planning her route back so she wouldn’t step on anything before she started to walk.

“I would like to talk to you about Etheria when you get a chance, Princess,” Orko called after her, stopping her in her tracks. “It was my pet project, you know.” His yellow eyes glinted maliciously. “I would love to know how it’s getting on.”

  
  


Adora never got out of a room so fast, that little man creeped her out. He kind of reminded her of Shadow Weaver in a weird way, but she wasn’t exactly eager to find out exactly why. 

She shuddered as she raced down the steps, she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice Adam standing at the bottom of the stairs. 

“Woah, slow down!” He caught her before she could bump right into him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine!” She said quickly. A lie.

“Okay…” Adam raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t push it thankfully. “Come on, I’ll show you back to our tower.”

“Our tower?” Adora questioned. 

Then she remembered. 

Right, their rooms were in the same tower. 

“Yeah, both our rooms are in the same tower, but mine’s at the top,” Adam reiterated from earlier, he looked over at her in concern. "Are you sure you're okay? Orko didn't scare you too bad? He's just bad with people, that's all."

"I'm okay," Adora lied again. 

"Whatever you say, Adora." Adam shrugged. 

He put his hands on Adora’s shoulders and started to steer her down the hallway.

After a long silence of them walking side by side, Adora spoke up.

“What’s Orko’s deal anyway?” She asked. 

“What do you mean?” Adam questioned in a sing-song voice, he turned around and walked backward, looking at her.

“Like,” Adora gesticulated with her hands, trying to think of what to say. “How long has he been...Here?” 

“He’s been around since the Council of Grayskull days,” Adam stated. “I think, I don’t really pay attention when my tutors aren’t talking about wars and battles and stuff.”

It wasn't like the Horde taught anything besides the battles and stuff, so she couldn't exactly roll her eyes at that, even if she wanted to. 

“Have you ever….” Adora paused. “Have you ever heard of the Heart of Etheria project?”

“No, no one really talks about Etheria, everyone thought it was a myth until you showed up.” Adam turned back around, clearly, he thought that the conversation was over.

Adora didn’t push it farther than that.

But she made a mental note to find out more about Orko and what he knew about Etheria, even if he did freak her out.

  
  
  


_

When Adora got back to her room, there were newly folded clothes on her bed. It looked to be made of the materials that she and Marlena had picked out earlier that day. It was white and red, with a red and gold capelet that looked like it draped over one shoulder.

When Adora looked around, she found a note from Marlena sitting on the vanity that detailed instructions on how to put on the outfit, she silently thanked her mother for being so thoughtful.

After she carefully followed the instructions on the note, putting on the suit piece by piece, she looked at herself in the vanity mirror to check if she had made any mistakes. Upon closer inspection, the outfit was more elegant than she anticipated. 

There were red pants that went down to her mid-calf with a gold stripe that went down the sides.   
Over the pants she wore a skirt that was shorter on the front than the back, the skirt was white with gold lines on the sides that lined up with the lines on the pants.   
The shirt was quite possibly her favorite part, it was a mostly white button-up shirt with gold buttons and gold sleeves that ended in red cuffs.   
The capelet was draped over her left shoulder, which kind of made it hard to move that arm without worrying that the capelet would fall to the ground.

She was incredibly delighted that all the clothes seemed to be lined with the same kind of texture as her uniform, and it was incredibly breathable.

Adora sat down at the vanity and started to pull her hair back into a ponytail, holding a hair tie in her mouth so both of her hands were free for the task when she heard a polite knock at the door.

Who would knock on her door? Adam? No, he was probably still trying to figure out his outfit.

  
“Come in!” She said through her hair tie. 

Marlena stepped into the view of the vanity mirror behind Adora and smiled, placing her hands on Adora’s shoulders.

“You look beautiful.” Marlena complimented simply. “Charlotta did a fantastic job on such short notice.”

Adora figured Charlotta was the tailor’s name, so she didn’t bother asking and embarrassing herself.

“You followed my instructions.” Marlena reached over Adora’s shoulder and picked up the note. “I hope they weren’t too confusing.”

“They aren’t the most confusing orders I’ve ever had to read,” Adora said absently, she was trying to figure out how to get the hair tie out of her mouth and preserve the perfect ponytail that she was holding with both hands. That was poor planning on her part.

She realized suddenly what she said and her hands fell in dawning horror. 

Oh no.

“You’ve had to follow orders?” Marlena looked down at Adora in confusion, innocent confusion.

“Uh,” Adora panicked. “Yes! I uh, I used to work in...A shop…” 

She internally facepalmed.

A shop? 

Really, Adora?

“Oh,” Marlena definitely didn’t believe her lie. Silently, she opened a drawer in the vanity and took out a hairbrush, she started brushing Adora’s hair. Adora leaned back into the soothing feeling, a warm fuzzy feeling starting in her chest, she let her eyes slip closed. “You’ll have to tell me about it sometime, dearest.”

Adora was glad that Marlena wasn’t pushing it, even though Adora sensed that she wanted to.

For right now, she let herself relax, something she hadn’t done since the sword broke. Her mother was braiding her hair back into a simple braid and her shoulders weren't tense for the first time since she didn't even know when nothing could ruin this perfect moment. 

“Are you ready?” Marlena asked, jarring Adora.

Except for maybe the fact that she now had to be announced to an entire kingdom.

“As I’ll ever be.” She admitted. 

Marlena rubbed her shoulders comfortingly, Adora welcomed the affection by leaning back into it.

  
  


“I’ll be with you, Adora, don’t worry,” Marlena said, she kissed the top of Adora’s head and Adora smiled.

“Thanks, Mom.” She said, without even thinking.

Adora liked not even thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> phew, next chapter is where shits gonna go down  
what kinda shit? you'll find out  
(lowkey i dont know either)

**Author's Note:**

> I loved writing this sm!!!  
don't know what to comment? try this  
-what did you like?  
-what didn't you like?  
-what do you want to see?  
-did something make you laugh?


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